【品牌故事】靠賣40美元穀物片成為眾所皆知的

Airbnb 行政總裁 Brian Chesky 與合夥人 Joe Gebbia 、 Nathan Blecharczyk 在2008年開始營運 Airbnb 時，遭到投資者質疑，因而拒絕投資。結果三人決定使用不同的方式來籌集資金，他們設計並銷售以當時的總統候選人 Barack Obama 和 John McCain 為特色的穀物盒，用作 Airbnb 的早餐選擇，這項生意帶來了3萬美元的收益。

Y Combinator 共同創辦人 Paul Graham 被這一獨特策略所吸引，並因此向 Airbnb 投資。他曾對這三位創辦人說：「如果你能說服人們購買40美元的穀物盒，也許你可以說服陌生人住在一起。」

如今 Airbnb 市值超過920億美元，創造了現代即時住宿產業。 Chesky 在2015年的一篇文章中提到，創業初期Airbnb曾多次被大投資者拒絕，但這並不表示事業的終結。正如Bumble的行政總裁 Whitney Wolfe Herd 所說：「人們通常不知道如何看待還不存在的事物，所以你只需要相信自己。」

Airbnb 的成功不只是關於找到市場縫隙，更重要的是創業者的靈活性、堅韌不拔的決心和不斷學習的態度。創業不僅僅是關於創新思想，還有持續的堅持和對未知的勇氣。當市場或投資者還未看到你的願景時，不要害怕走出框架，試驗並信任你的直覺。

When Airbnb's CEO Brian Chesky and his partners Joe Gebbia and Nathan Blecharczyk began operating Airbnb in 2008, they faced a myriad of doubts from investors.

Such skepticism and rejection from investors led the trio to seek alternative methods of fundraising. They designed and sold cereal boxes featuring then-presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain as breakfast options for Airbnb guests. This venture garnered them a profit of $30,000.

Paul Graham, the co-founder of Y Combinator, was captivated by this unique strategy and subsequently invested in Airbnb. He once told the founders, "If you can convince people to buy a $40 cereal box, perhaps you can persuade strangers to live together."

Today, Airbnb has a market capitalization of over $92 billion, pioneering the modern on-demand lodging industry. Chesky mentioned in a 2015 article that Airbnb was rejected multiple times by major investors in its early stages, but that did not signal the end of the venture. As Bumble's CEO, Whitney Wolfe Herd, said, "People usually don't know how to view things that don't yet exist, so you just have to believe in yourself."

Airbnb's success isn't just about finding a market gap; it's more about the flexibility, unwavering determination, and continual learning attitude of its founders. Entrepreneurship is not just about innovative ideas but persistent perseverance and the courage to face the unknown. When the market or investors don't yet see your vision, don't be afraid to think outside the box, experiment, and trust your instincts.